Worried - oneshot
by luvme123
Summary: AlfiexJerome because why not? Based between season 2 and 3, use your imagination as to what part exactly. Basically Jerome is worried and Alfie tries to pry it out of him. It works, but he never expected the reason. T for swears and gay. But just kissing, calm down.


"You know, you would stop getting these massive injuries and having near-death experiences if you'd just quit going on missions with the Scooby gang," Jerome says, wiping a wet sponge on Alfie's back, trying to clean out wounds from another one of Robert Frobishire Smythe's traps. "I tried it, and it proved to be a hundred percent effective! No more Rufus Zeno trying to kidnap and murder me with ancient bugs."

"Ha ha. I know you don't like them -which I totally don't get, they aren't going to let me die - but you could at least be a little supportive, now that I'm doing stuff that doesn't involve eating a gallon of steamed carrots because I lost a bet," Alfie gives a knowing glare behind him at his friend, "Because I know you still won't eat carrots. And, I believe you actually _did_ get kidnapped by Rufus last year, if I'm not mistaken; not because of us, either, you just happened to be there."

"Yeah, but aren't you worried one day you'll end up dead and no one could've stopped it? You could have fallen down that chasm thing you were telling me about on the night of the masquerade ball a couple years back, or Nina could've put the mask on and gone even more batshit crazy than she did before - that mark could've killed you, dude, and don't even get me started on-"

"Dude, Jerome, chill out. I'm fine," Alfie grins as Jerome drops the sponge in its bucket, the water splashing his bare back as Jerome bandaged it. "Why are you so worried, anyways?"

"I'm not, I'm just saying..."

"_You're just saying,_ that you're worried I'll get hurt. Which I won't."

"But you cou-"

"Aha! So you _are_ worried!"

"Damn,"

"Tell me why you're worried."

"I just don't want the only one that understands my cynicistic humor to die horribly and get questioned about it later. That's all."

"_Jerome_..." Alfie groans, turning around as Jerome pats the last bandage down.

"What?" Jerome defends himself, his hands flying to the air at his sides.

_"Tell me."_

"Why should I?"

"Because you're my best friend?" Alfie tries.

"You have Rutter."

Alfie scoffs, rolling his eyes, but tries something else, "Because you're my roommate?"

"You barely ever sleep in here."

"Because I'm like your brother?"

"Poppy's enough siblings, thank you."

Alfie sighs, aggravated. "Because you should tell me or I'll pry it out of Poppy."

Jerome cringes, but collects himself before Alfie could notice. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"How would you know if I let that brat know anything?"

"Because I know she goes through your stuff, so even if you didn't tell her, it has to be written down somewhere and she'd have found it by now. She has to know."

"But she doesn't." Jerome says.

"Ha! So there_ is_ something bothering you about me hanging out with the Sibuna crew!" Alfie grins, triumphant.

"Fuck." Jerome mutters.

"Tell me. Please?" Alfie gets up and on his knees in front of Jerome, a pleading look in his eyes. He pouts his lip. Jerome nearly melts.

"There's nothing. It's not important, I just- no, it's not important."

"It obviously is, so tell me." Alfie's pout turns to an aggravated glare in the blink of an eye. He wasn't going to take anything but the truth, and Jerome knew it; his stalling was just prolonging the inevitable. He'd have to tell him some time.

"I- I don't want you to die," He whispers, "And before you yell at me, I'm not finished; I don't want you to die because you are, and always will be, my best friend. You accept me, even when I'm a dick to everyone, because you know I've gone through some stuff in my years and I know what you've gone through and we _know_ each other. And- and I think..." He takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes so he doesn't have to look at Alfie. "I think...I'm in love with you."

Silence.

The silence was almost deafening, and Jerome didn't want to open his eyes. He wanted to disappear and not have deal with what was going to happen. _I shouldn't have said that. I should not have said that. He's going to request to move rooms, maybe even houses, and I'll never get to see him again. I fucked up. I fucked up big time-_

"So it wasn't just me?" The silence is broken, and Jerome's head whips up, his eyes olen. "I thought I was going crazy."

"What?"

"I mean, the way you were avoiding me, I knew something was up, and then I remembered- that's what you do when you're in love. You did the same with Mara, and I thought I was just imagining it, because you're still with her, I- this isn't a joke, is it?"

This was his lean way. He could play it off now. They'd laugh it away and go on with their lives. "No." Too late.

"So...What about Mara?"

"Mara figured out I was - uh - bisexual a while back. She's dating me as a sort of cover up, I guess. She got it out of me that I liked you before I even knew I liked you. She's great, and I'm sure I'm still attracted to girls, but...Y'know what, never mind." Jerome shakes his head, and moves to get up before he said anything else, but Alfie pushes him back down lightly, and stands, leaning over him.

"No no, I think I'd like to hear." Alfie says quietly, locking eyes with his roommate, and Jerome remembers then just how _shirtless_ his friend was. He tries to keep his focus on Alfie's face as the smaller boy puts his hands on his shoulders for support - support for his own body weight, or Jerome's admission, neither could really decide.

"O-ok." He whispers back, silently cursing the stutter coming from his lips. "What do you want to hear?"

"You said you like me."

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I like you too."

"What-"

Before Jerome can finish, a warm pair of lips is on his, and Alfies hands that had been on his shoulders had wrapped around and behind his neck, pulling him closer. Jerome's thoughts were clouded by the thought of his best friend _kissing_ him, and it felt so_ good_ he didn't want to think about anything else. He didn't want to _be_ anywhere else all of a sudden, and he lets his arms wrap around Alfie, pulling him into his lap so they both sat on the bed.

"I've liked you for a long time, but I thought you'd hate me and move out so I never told you and I regret it now, I regret not telling you because,_ fuck,_ you're a good kisser." Alfie's breath comes out in light pants as he speaks, pulling apart from Jerome.

Jerome chuckles, pushing his hair out of his eyes. "So I've been told."

They just sit there a minute, looking into each other's eyes, before it's Jerome's turn to make a move, so he grins and pulls Alfie in for another kiss.

"Hey, Jerome, I was wondering if- uh...I'll just leave you two...to it, uh..." Mara had walked in, and Jerome pulls away to send her a_ 'we're a little busy'_ glare. She apologizes quickly and steps out, muttering "I'll knock next time,"

Jerome turns back to his roommate. "Where were we?.."

"Right here." Alfie grins back at him, pulling him close and kissing him.

_I could get used to this..._

**I'm a gay piece of shit. Yep. Anyway, I'm back in the HoA fandom maybe. Woah. (I literally only came back to write this, but hey, I might do more.) I blame Definitionofawriter for getting me back into this. **


End file.
